Theres a famous quote Ive heard umpteen times by JBS Haldane who said that
(paraphrasing) God had an inordinate fondness for beetles. I was trying to
find the actual quote and found various versions. Im trying to find out the
veracity of them what is the ACTUAL quote and the source? Really I want to
know if he said just beetles, or stars AND beetles.
Wikipedia lists 3 versions:
The Creator, if He exists, has "an inordinate fondness for beetles".
"If one could conclude as to the nature of the Creator from a study of
creation, it would appear that God has an inordinate fondness for stars and
beetles." (1951)
"the Creator, if He exists, has a special preference for beetles, and so we
might be more likely to meet them than any other type of animal on a planet
that would support life" (1951).
What is the right version?? What is the 1951 source? Ive read he was in the
presence of theologians and was asked what he could infer about life from
studying creation and that was his reply. It also says that 25% of all
species are beetles. Is that accurate? One thing on Wikiquote says that the
quote was from a space flight conference in 1951 and was reproduced in
"Journal of the British Interplanetary Society vol. 10, p. 156" - anyone
have access to that journal and could look it up?? (I don't have easy access
to a uni library right now... sorry!)
Another source says it's mentioned in Hutchinson's Homage to Santa Rosalia
or Why Are There So Many Animals" Am Nat 93 (870): 145-159. I have that
article some place in one of my ungodly collection of 2,000+ articles...
but.... well... anyone have this handy??
I'll summarize the responses -- I know we all want to know the facts about
this famous ecologist quote don't we?! :)
Thanks!!
Wendee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wendee Holtcamp, M.S. Wildlife Ecology
Freelance Writer * Photographer * Bohemian
http://www.wendeeholtcamp.com
http://bohemianadventures.blogspot.com
* 6-wk Online Writing Course Starts Nov 24! *
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
